Spit Save
Spit valve sanitation system for brass instruments
This product catches and disinfects spit from the spit valve on trumpets. It has two main components: a container that attaches to the trumpet and catches the spit in an absorbing pad, and a spray bottle of disinfectant that is activated by a squeeze pump attached to the spit valve lever. This way, the user can open the spit valve and squeeze the pump at the same time, simultaneously emptying the spit and disinfecting the spit valve.
Project Overview
Brass instruments have spit valves, also known as water keys, for emptying accumulated spit and condensation. Most brass players simply empty their spit onto the ground, which is highly unsanitary, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, there is a need for a way to catch and disinfect spit from brass instruments.
This project was part of the 2020 Mechanical Engineering Summer Design Intensive, a four-week program provided by the University of Colorado, Boulder. In this program, each participating student worked on a design project with remote guidance from peer mentors, alumni and industry mentors, and university faculty. There were also weekly workshops covering various technical and professional topics. Students could come up with their own project ideas or work with a client. The idea for the Spit Save was proposed by Jean Hertzberg, and professor and researcher at CU. Because of the short timeline of the program, projects were not expected to reach full realization.
Product Requirements
All spit must be captured and disinfected
Inexpensive
Disposable or easily reusable
Easy to use, simple design
Aesthetically pleasing
Existing Products
WindSorb by orogyLab
Soft silicone body that attaches to the trumpet
Hard plastic removable base with absorbing pad inside
Does not have disinfecting system
Ideation and Initial Prototyping
I attempted a "100 ideas" list to help with ideation. Some of the main ideas were:
Mini vacuum
Using pressure difference to suck out the spit, such as a syringe or 'turkey baster' concept
Absorbent pad or bag beneath the spit valve
Rigid container to catch the spit
I made my first prototype from a turkey baster hoping to use a pressure difference to suck out the spit. It had some limitations:
Suction wasn't strong enough
Required both hands to use, too awkward
I decided to go in a different direction.
For my new approach, I modeled my product off of the existing WindSorb with an added sanitation feature: a spray bottle activated by a squeeze pump, based on old-fashioned perfume bottles. When the squeeze pump is attached to the spit valve lever, the user can open their spit valve and spray the disinfectant at the same time using only one hand.
Hand Sketches
CAD
First Prototype
Prototype components:
Uses existing products: WindSorb, perfume spray nozzle, and a generic plastic bottle
Pump is squeezed when opening the spit valve
Disinfectant sprays through hole in WindSorb onto spit valve
Future Developments
Smaller, more compact design
Squeeze pump shaped to slide over lever
More even weight distribution
A design that works for button water keys
Ideas for aesthetic improvement:
Design customization for ensembles (tassels, school colors, logos, etc.)
Squeeze pump shaped like animals for children
More refined aesthetic for professional ensembles
What I Learned
During this design intensive, I not only improved on new and current skills, such as CAD, prototyping, project management, presenting, and career-building, but I also learned more about what it is to be an engineer. For much of this program, I was worried that my design wasn't original. After all, most of what I did was take two existing technologies and put them together to make something new. However, after discussing my concerns with my various mentors, I learned that the preliminary steps of any engineering design almost always involves taking an existing product and expanding on it. One mentor told me that sometimes it takes an engineer to see how two things could fit together to make something else.
Something else I struggled with was deciding on a design idea. Eventually, I decided to take one of my ideas and build a basic prototype. This was an important turning point for me because doing this helped me realize that my project needed further constraints (it must be operable with only one hand). This helped me narrow down my list of ideas until I could decide on a better design. I learned that sometimes, skipping the complicated analysis and mental evaluation and simply testing out an idea in a physical form can be an integral deciding factor in the design process.