Purpose
The purpose of this project is to design and build a stool that will give Serinity, a five-year-old micro-cephalic girl, access to a toilet. Serinity’s small stature makes it difficult for her to use the toilet without the aid of her teacher. The purpose of this toilet stool is to give Serinity access to toilets and be easy for her to transport.
The project goal is to meet Serinity’s needs by giving her toilet access and allowing her to be independent while using the restroom. The goal is for the stool to meet the design objectives of being safe, to be simple to use, to be versatile, and to be appealing. The primary function of the stool is for the stool to increase Serinity’s independence. The required secondary functions of the stool are for the stool to allow access to toilets, support Serinity, and maintain position.
Background
Serinity is a 41-inch micro-cephalic five-year-old who cannot use the restroom independently. Serinity can use a toilet once she gets on to it; however, she currently needs a stool and assistance from her teacher to be able to reach the toilet. Aside from toilet access, Serinity also cannot reach sinks or water fountains without a stool.
The problem with the current stool is that it is too tall for Serinity to step on alone, and it does not have a surface area that is large enough for Serinity to feel comfortable using. The current stool is 11 inches tall, 11 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. She cannot stand on the stool without support, which makes it impossible for her to spin around or pull down her pants. Serinity needs a stool that allows her to use the restroom independently and will be portable for her to transport with her as she travels throughout the school.
Design
The portable toilet stool is 9 inches tall, 15 inches wide, and 11 inches deep. The base of the stool is made out of pinewood and held together by wood screws. On the top of the stool, skateboard grip tape is used to prevent slipping. On each of the legs, rubber shoes were cut out and then glued onto the bottom to prevent the stool from sliding along the floor. The wooden pieces of the stool were designed in Solid Works and then fabricated with a CNC (Computer Numeric Controlled) Router. Arches and flowers were cut into the sides of the stool to make the stool more lightweight. The top plate of the stool was pocketed to also help take the weight off of the stool. A collapsible handle and two cast iron wheels were attached to the front of the stool so that when pulled, it would roll similar to a suitcase. Serinity’s favorite colors were used to paint the stool so that it would appeal to her. The stool was painted a purple base with blue and pink flowers.
Operation
The portable toilet stool is simple to use because it only has one moving mechanism. The stool is one solid unit, with the exception of the collapsible handle. The handle collapses by a lever under the grip and moves down and up, similar to a suitcase handle. The handle has three varying heights where it locks in place, giving the user options when using the handle. The portable toilet stool has two wheels on the same side as the handle so that it can be rolled. When Serinity is ready to use the stool, she can lean it back onto the ground and step onto the stool immediately.