Update #5 (Week 6): Design Sketches

This week, the group focused on specific parts of the design such as the "box" component, the inflation portion, the drainage system, and the layers of the suit. Sketches are provided below for visualization of what the somewhat final design blueprint will look like.

The external box component will house many of the fundamental elements of the design. It is a portable apparatus on wheels that consists of components such as temperature control, power on or off, cycle selection, timer, and soap compartment. The main pipe passes through the "in" pipe for soap to be dispensed through the flowing water and for temperature regulation via the box. For the water removal, the box will house the vacuum system that sucks the water back out and to the drainage pipe in the room's water line. Figure 5.1 below provides a basic visual of the ideas that the box incorporates.

Figure 5.1: Top views of the outside and inside of the box. Controls and a basic setup for the pipes are illustrated. 

Additionally, a small inflation component will be added to the suit so that the space between the external and inner-most layers is kept supported. Otherwise, the tubing system within the layer would be crushed and the suit layers would not stay separate. Figure 5.2 shows the overall design's appearance and setup.

Figure 5.2: The overall design. This sketch details how the patient will be inclined when using the suit, and how the  main pipe will connect to the suit in one place. This pipe is actually a two-way hose that lets water in and out. As well, the inflation device is shown at the right, which will keep space between the suit's layers.

Although the main pipe enters the suit in one place, the two tubes inside it do not. In other words, the "in" tube actually branches out into a network of smaller tubes that deliver water evenly throughout the suit. The "out" tube is a single tube at the bottom that allows water to drain out via the vacuum. Figure 5.3 below shows how the "in" tube spreads out in the space between the outermost and innermost suit layers.

Figure 5.3: The inner tubing network that allows for water to be delivered throughout the suit. Arrows are used to denote direction of the water flow. Note that these tubes are not actually visible from outside, because they are between the layers of the suit.

The layers of the suit will be made with different materials for various purposes. These layers include an outermost of vinyl, a space filled with air, tubes that bring water in, another layer of vinyl, and an innermost layer of acrylic. This last layer is made with a mesh-like soft material for scrubbing the patient. Figure 5.4 below shows what a cross section of the suit would look like.

Figure 5.4: Various layers of the suit and their materials. The layers of air will be created with the inflation discussed previously.