Waterless Urinal Apparatus with Consumable Cap for Odor Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Waterless or low water urinals face challenges with odor control and maintenance, particularly in 'hard water' environments where limescale buildup can occur, leading to hygiene issues and increased maintenance needs, and existing consumable deodorizer systems require frequent replacement and generate waste.
Innovation Solution
A urinal apparatus with a hollow body, consumable detergent/deodorizer, resealing valve, and externally mounted consumable cap element made from fragranced Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) that dissolves and changes color to indicate replacement, providing a pleasant aroma and preventing backflow while reducing debris entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional disposable cartridges with consumable deodoriser are used in waterless urinals, then odor control is improved, but maintenance frequency increases and waste generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable consumable elements (cap element and deodoriser cartridge) that are replaced periodically. The cap element is made from fragranced material that depletes over time and can be easily replaced by removing the entire urinal apparatus from the outlet and inserting a new one, eliminating the need for complex maintenance schedules and reducing waste from partial cartridge replacements.
Solution Approach 2:
The urinal apparatus is divided into separable components: a reusable housing and replaceable consumable elements (cap element and deodoriser cartridge). This segmentation allows the consumable parts to be independently replaced when depleted, while the housing remains in use, optimizing maintenance efficiency and reducing overall waste.
2Loss of energy
If waterless urinals are used to reduce water consumption, then environmental impact is improved, but odor control and hygiene maintenance become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a consumable cap element made from fragranced material as an intermediary between the urine and the environment. This cap element releases pleasant aromas that mask urine odors and can be easily replaced when depleted, providing effective odor control without requiring water flushing.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap element is designed as a disposable consumable component made from fragranced material that depletes over time. When the fragrance is exhausted or the material degrades, the entire urinal apparatus is simply removed and replaced with a new one, providing continuous odor control without complex maintenance or water usage.
3Ease of manufacture
If hard water is used for flushing urinals, then water supply is simplified, but limescale buildup occurs causing blockages and increased maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flushing function entirely from the urinal system by using a waterless design with a trap that uses urine to form a liquid seal. This eliminates the water supply pipes and cistern that would be subject to limescale buildup, removing the source of the maintenance problem while maintaining the water supply system's simplicity for other uses.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If consumable deodoriser cartridges are replaced periodically in multiple urinals, then odor control is maintained, but unnecessary replacement occurs and waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable urinal apparatus units with integrated consumable deodoriser and cap elements. Each unit is replaced as a complete assembly when the deodoriser is depleted or the cap element degrades, eliminating the need to track and replace individual cartridges in multiple urinals and reducing waste from premature replacements.
Solution Approach 2:
The consumable cap element and deodoriser cartridge are designed to deplete at similar rates, allowing the entire urinal apparatus to be replaced as a single unit based on the consumption pattern of the most heavily used urinal. This self-synchronizing replacement system eliminates unnecessary replacements in less heavily used urinals.
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 masks urine odors, reduces maintenance frequency, and minimizes waste by using a consumable cap and deodorizer that depletes and changes color to indicate replacement, while preventing backflow and debris entry, enhancing hygiene and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The cap element, which is manufactured from fragranced material, from which fragrance depletes and the cap element shrinks when fluid, in particular urine, makes contact with the cap element
Implementation Method 2
the lower housing is configured to support and retain the resealing valve, which is operable to allow flow of fluid, such as urine, from above, but is operable to prevent back flow from below the resealing valve
Implementation Method 3
The deodoriser gives off a pleasant odour which masks the smell of the urine contained within the trap
Data Source
AI summary
The improved urinal apparatus is configured for insertion in an outlet of a urinal. The urinal apparatus includes a hollow body defining an upper housing and a clamp ring/lower housing. The upper housing provides an open chamber configured to receive and retain a consumable detergent/malodour counteractant and the clamp ring/lower housing is configured to support and retain a resealing valve, which is operable to allow flow of fluid, such as urine, from above, but is operable to prevent backflow from below the resealing valve. The urinal apparatus also includes a consumable cap element, which includes an axial opening at least partway through, wherein the opening is configured to receive at least part of the upper housing. A body of the cap element comprises a plurality of radially extending fins. One of the upper housing or the consumable cap element comprise an upper member comprising an array of holes, which facilitate fluid flow and insertion and extraction of the urinal apparatus as a unit.