Ventilated Soap Holder Structure for Drying and Drip Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional soap holders fail to effectively contain and dry soap bars, allowing water and goop to drip freely, leading to a messy buildup on surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A soap holder with a curved pedestal and base design that allows air to circulate around the soap bar, featuring air holes and a peripheral lip to catch drips, and adjustable feet for stability, ensuring the soap bar dries completely while preventing messes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a wire frame soap holder is used to support the soap bar, then the soap bar can dry, but water and goop drip off in an unrestricted fashion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary containment structure (the base with recessed portion and peripheral wall) between the soap bar and the support surface. This intermediary structure captures and contains the harmful drippings (water and goop) that fall from the soap bar, preventing them from spreading unrestrictedly across the support surface while still allowing the soap bar to dry.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a soap dish is used to contain drips, then mess is reduced, but the interior surface builds up an unusable mess that requires frequent cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful substance (drippings) from the main functional area by directing it into a separate containment zone (the recessed portion of the base). This separation allows the drying surface (where the soap bar rests) to remain clean and functional, while the recessed area specifically collects and isolates the mess, making it easier to manage and clean.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible or removable base component that can be lifted or detached to access and clean the recessed portion. This design allows users to easily remove accumulated drippings from the containment area without having to disassemble the entire holder or use complex cleaning tools.
3Area of moving object
If the pedestal top end is made small to contact only a thin ring of the soap bar, then drying surface area is maximized, but structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the stability concern by transitioning from a two-dimensional contact problem to a three-dimensional solution. The pedestal's thin ring contact area is compensated for by the base's extended footprint and recessed containment structure, which provides a stable foundation and lowers the center of gravity, thereby maintaining structural stability despite the minimal contact area between pedestal and soap bar.
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 holder allows nearly all soap bar surfaces to dry, containing drips until they can be easily cleaned, reducing mess and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
One or more air holes open onto the interior of the pedestal and are located below the pedestal top end... Outside of this ring, the exterior surface of the soap bar is exposed to drying air. Inside of this ring, the exterior surface of the soap bar is exposed to drying air that enters the pedestal interior by way of the one or more air holes.
Implementation Method 2
The general top surface of the base is upwardly convexly curved, or downwardly and outwardly sloped, so as to shed water, soap and other particulate matter.
Implementation Method 3
In the kitchen/vanity embodiment, such drippings are contained by the peripheral lip of the base or in the closed bottom end of the pedestal, from where they may be later easily cleaned.
Data Source
AI summary
A soap holder has a base and a hollow pedestal upwardly extending from the base to a top end, at which is formed an upper limit or locus. The locus receives a bar of soap. At least one air hole is formed to communicate to the pedestal interior and to be disposed below the top end. Since almost all of the exterior surface of the soap bar is exposed to ambient air, the soap bar dries without creating a goopy mess. Curved surfaces of the soap holder aid in its cleaning.