Restroom Disasters

Background of the Problem

IET 120 SPRING 2014

There is often poor hygiene in public restrooms surrounding the toilets. People are leaving the restroom often do not clean up after themselves leaving their waste in or on the toilet.

Problem and Goal Statement People are careless or sometimes forget to clean up after themselves. Our goal is to create a clean restroom area. With this being done, workers and citizens will not have to worry about cleaning or dealing with bothersome messes.

Problem Solving Approach ( ngineering !esign Process" Step 1: Define the Problem The problem is that often times, people will leave public restroom toilets in an unhygienic state. Step 2: Brainstorm, Research, and Generate Ideas The only ideas we could really think of is to design a self#cleaning toilet. We did more research on it, but alas, all we found were self#cleaning toilets that relied on wiping off, which seems $uite unsanitary after enough time. That is why we are proposing a contact#free cleaning system. Step 3: Identify Criteria and Specify Constraints %riteria& 'ust be cost effective 'ust be sanitary over long amounts of time %onstraints& 'oney Step :De!elop and Propose Desi"ns and Choose #mon" #lternati!e Sol$tions
Austin Kelley, Brandon Muncy Page (

Restroom Disasters

IET 120 SPRING 2014

(st )dea& *elf#cleaning toilet seat incorporating a fountain of water to clean the seat. (nd alternative& *elf cleaning toilet incorporating a contained cleaning area for the lid, cleaning by steam and air drying. We have decided to use the alternative idea of steam cleaning and air drying Step%: Implement the Proposed Sol$tion There is no way to implement the proposed solution given our student status and materials at hand. Step&: 'a(e a 'odel of Prototype There was nobody in the group that can draw or has any skill with drafting, so the best we can do is to describe it. The design is the same as that of a normal toilet, e+cept with a compartment on the back of it. When someone is done and the door closes, the lid would fold into the back compartment to be washed with powerful steam ,ets, washing away any debris or urine on the seat. Then, by the same technology that a hand dryer uses, it would then dry the seat for the ne+t user. Step): *!al$ate the Sol$tion and Its Conse+$ences The solution has no setbacks other than usual malfunctions that any hardware would have, and loss of power. Step,: Refine the Desi"n - way to manually open the compartment will be made to set the lid down, should a power failure ever occur, or even the implementation of a .P*. These will be optional, depending upon how much someone would want to pay for a particular model of this receptacle. Step-: Create the .inal Desi"n -gain, nobody in the group has the skill to create a design, but we have e+plained it to the best of our ability. Step1/: Comm$nicate the Processes and Res$lts Would this be implemented, we would contact public places, giving presentations on the benefits and conveniency of this toilet.

Austin Kelley, Brandon Muncy

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