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My independent project is the motorized plunger with an umbrella or as i call it, the Pop and block. The motivation for my project is to help the elderly and to simply improve the quality of life in the bathroom by making toilet issues faster, cleaner, and easier. To my knowledge no one has made or tried to make something like this which I find to be very intriguing because the normal plunger is very basic and can sometimes be annoying to use which is what I'm trying to change as well. I would say the expected users of my product will be anyone over the age of 10 because it will be very easy to use. The technological areas this would fall under is electrical and mechanical engineering. This project will take lots of effort because it requires that I create some type of foldable almost shield attached to a stick and then on top of that I will have to build a small container filled with c02 and find a way to attach everything together.
The project goals and intended function of the pop and block is to dislodge whatever is stuck in the toilet by shooting a small amount of c02 from a canister at the bottom of the plunger and to block any backsplash from the toilet from getting on the person using it. I have broadened the scope of the project to include people who can't necessarily bend down and for people with parkisons. Factors that could stand in my way due to design parameters might be finding and building the right sized canister for the c02. Another factor that could possibly stand in my way is dispersing the c02 without creating a large splash or causing damage to the inside of the toilet. This project is sustainable because it does not need electricity, which means it can be used at any time anywhere.It helps with health and safety because you can use it quickly and you barely have to move. And there is no chance of getting contaminated by anything that was in the toilet.
The approach to this project will be extensive and will have steps. First I will find a way to attach the umbrella part to the plunger and be able to fold it in a way that it takes almost no space. The next step will be to build a small/custom sized container to fit the c02 in and attach it to the inside of the plunger. Then the c02 canisters will be checked to see if they are safe to use in a small area just like a toilet. Lastly, I will put everything together to see how much it weighs and see if it is too big or awkward to carry, and make modifications to fix those errors.
A way will be found to attach the umbrella part to the plunger and be able to fold it in a way that it takes almost no space.
The next step will be to build a small/custom sized container to fit the c02 in and attach it to the inside of the plunger.
The c02 canisters will be checked to see if they are safe to use in a small area just like a toilet.
Put everything together to see how much it weighs and see if it is too big or awkward to carry, and make modifications to fix those errors.
The testing procedures will begin after the c02 is able to be dispersed and the umbrella portion can fold up and down. Once those 2 things are ready to go the testing will test how well the c02 dislodged whatever was in the toilet. After that is figured out another test will be carried out to see how well the umbrella/shield blocked wherever was in the toilet from coming back at you from the toilet. and additional data will be collected on the effectiveness of c02. Components to my project are c02 canisters, multiple versions of an umbrella/shield, and a small 3d printed attachment piece to attach the umbrella/shield to the plunger. The c02 canisters will be attached to the walls of the inside of the plunger.
The cost of a standard plunger is around $17 and the cost of a small c02 canister can range from about $20-$100. I will use transparent textile or sheer fabric so that way you can see what you are doing and that will cost around $10-$20. So in all this independent project will cost around $140. Once the projects start being constructed/built i will follow my steps one after another to successfully create my project.
cited sources
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Parkinson’s disease: Causes, symptoms, and treatments. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease#:~:text=Parkinson’s%20disease%20is%20a%20brain,have%20difficulty%20walking%20and%20talking.
Plungers at Lowes.Com, www.lowes.com/pl/Plungers-Augers-plungers-drain-openers-Plumbing/4294821972. Accessed 12 Oct. 2023.
Kelley, J. S., & James, T. W. (1968). Acme (scott) pre-packed disposable CO2 absorbent canister. Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/co2-canister/s?k=co2%2Bcanister
Amazon.com: 4mil thickness frosted TPU fabric matte translucent film ... (n.d.). https://www.amazon.com/Thickness-Translucent-Windproof-Waterproof-Designers/dp/B0B8ZHTDYB
HfU-Admin. “The Name of Umbrella Parts.” Huifeng Umbrella, 10 Oct. 2023, www.hfumbrella.com/parts-of-an-umbrella.
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