Urinal Assembly with Retractable Guide Channel to Reduce Splatter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current urine receptacles often result in urine splatter around the toilet bowl and floor, posing both inconvenience and health hazards, and there is a need for improved mechanisms to position the toilet seat and lid after use, particularly for convenience between different users.
Innovation Solution
A urine receptacle with a guide channel that can be moved from a retracted to an extended position to intercept urine streams closer to the user, combined with a return feature that automatically positions the lid and seat for the next user, utilizing a torsion spring to maintain the seat down and lid up, and optionally incorporating a foot pedal for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional urine receptacle is used, then the structure is simple, but urine splatter occurs around the toilet bowl and floor
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is segmented into multiple functional zones: a collection portion that receives urine, a guide channel that directs the urine stream, and a discharge portion that releases urine into the bowl. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, preventing splatter while maintaining structural clarity
Solution Approach 2:
The guide channel acts as an intermediary element between the collection portion and the discharge portion. It mediates the urine flow by providing a controlled pathway that directs the stream away from the bowl rim, preventing splatter without requiring complex mechanical components
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the guide channel is extended to intercept urine stream closer to user, then urine containment improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide channel is designed to be movable between extended and retracted positions. When extended, it intercepts the urine stream closer to the user for better containment. When retracted, it simplifies the structure and allows the seat to function conventionally. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between containment effectiveness and structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The guide channel mechanism serves multiple functions: it acts as a urine diversion structure when extended, and as a retracted component that does not interfere with conventional seat use when retracted. This multi-functionality allows the same structure to address both urine containment and structural simplicity requirements
3Ease of operation
If manual positioning of seat and lid is required, then device complexity is low, but ease of operation deteriorates for different users
Solution Approach 1:
The return mechanism automatically returns the seat to the down position and the lid to the up position after use, without requiring manual intervention. This self-service function improves ease of operation for all users, particularly benefiting women who need the seat down, while the added complexity is justified by the automated convenience
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 effectively reduces urine splatter and simplifies the process of positioning the toilet seat and lid, enhancing user convenience and hygiene by ensuring the seat is down and lid is up for the next user with minimal effort, while also addressing the issue of urine splatter and floor contamination.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a torsion spring to maintain the seat down and lid up
Data Source
AI summary
An improved toiled system including a urine receptacle with a guide channel is provided, said guide channel having an inlet port that is configured to be positioned closer to the user's point of urination, such that the user may urinate into the inlet port with a greater degree of comfort that a higher percentage of said user's urine will be contained into the urine receptacle. The guide channel is configured to be moved from a retracted to an extended position, said extended position being to allow for use by the user, and said retracted position being to allow for storage of the guide channel out of the way when not being used. In one configuration a toilet with a seat may be used in its conventional manner when said guide channel is in said retracted position. Another significant feature is the use of a return feature, which causes the lid to be in the up position, and the seat in the down position, after use by the user, for the convenience of the next user. When this feature is used with the above retraction/extension position, it solves the issue of a woman wanting the toilet seat down with very little effort to the man because it automatically returns everything to the seated position for a woman simply by the man releasing the handles or foot pedal.