Disposable Urination Device with V-Shaped Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public restroom toilets are often unsanitary, making women apprehensive to use them, and existing feminine urination devices are expensive and not suited for low-cost mass distribution in public settings, lacking convenience and environmental friendliness.
Innovation Solution
A disposable, cuboid-shaped urination device with a top opening and an elongated V-shaped channel at the bottom, allowing women to urinate from a standing position, eliminating the need to sit on a toilet, and designed for easy stacking and distribution, made from recyclable or biodegradable materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If existing feminine urination devices are made from long-lasting materials for multiple use, then device durability is improved, but cost and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the disposable principle by designing a urination device intended for single use only. The device is made from inexpensive, biodegradable materials such as paperboard or cardstock, allowing it to be discarded after one use. This eliminates the need for cleaning and sterilization processes required for reusable devices, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and enabling mass distribution in public restrooms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining paperboard or cardstock with waterproof coatings or laminates. This composite approach provides both the low cost and disposability of paper materials while adding the necessary waterproof properties for functional use. The composite structure maintains durability sufficient for single use while remaining inexpensive to manufacture and environmentally friendly.
2Ease of manufacture
If a disposable urination device is designed for single use, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but device durability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embraces the disposable concept by designing a device that is intentionally not meant to last. Using inexpensive materials like paperboard allows the device to be manufactured at very low cost and discarded after single use. The design accepts limited durability as a trade-off for affordability and environmental sustainability.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite construction of paperboard with waterproof coating provides just enough durability for single-use functionality. The waterproof layer prevents liquid penetration during use, while the paperboard substrate provides structural integrity. After one use, the device is discarded, eliminating the need for long-term durability.
3Ease of operation
If women use traditional toilet seats, then ease of use is maintained, but sanitary safety worsens due to exposure to unclean surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The urination device acts as an intermediary between the user and the toilet environment. It provides a personal, portable urination surface that does not require contact with public toilet seats. The device includes a receptacle to catch urine and a spout for discharge into the toilet, eliminating direct contact with potentially contaminated toilet surfaces while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the urination function from the traditional toilet seat context. Instead of using the fixed toilet seat, the device creates a portable, self-contained urination system that can be used standing up. This removes the user from contact with the toilet seat entirely, addressing sanitary concerns while preserving 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
Provides a sanitary, convenient, and environmentally friendly urination solution by allowing women to urinate from a standing position, reducing exposure to unclean toilet surfaces and enabling cost-effective, mass distribution in public areas.
Implementation Method 1
urine runs along an inner surface of the bottom of the urination device, out of the front opening, and into the toilet
Data Source
AI summary
A urination device includes a receptacle having a cuboid shape. The receptacle further includes a top, a bottom, a front, a back, a first side, and a second side. A top opening is defined by an inner edge at the top of the receptacle. A front opening is defined by a front edge at the front of the receptacle. An elongated v-shaped channel is defined along the bottom from the front to the back. At least a portion of the elongated v-shaped channel is disposed below the top opening.