Personal Statements

Benjamin Ang is a student at the Singapore Institute of Technology, studying mechanical engineering. Taking modules such as engineering design graphics and digital engineering skills in his previous trimester, he believes that the knowledge will aid him greatly for this project.

Brandon Koh is a student at the Singapore Institute of Technology, studying Mechanical Engineering. He has recently finished design thinking modules such as engineering design graphics and digital engineering skill, that experience will help fuel the creative thinking process for brainstorming new designs for the project.

Chuah Sande is a student at the Singapore Institute of Technology, studying mechanical engineering, he joined this project to create a laundry basket to help the elderly. Using knowledge from previous modules such as engineering design graphics (EDG), he believes that he would be able to apply said knowledge to this project.

Cheng Heng Loong is a student at the Singapore Institute of Technology, studying Mechanical Engineering. Utilizing knowledge learnt from modules from previous trimesters such as engineering design graphics, he believes that the knowledge acquired would be beneficial in aiding him in this project.

Executive Summary

This report is written to persuade IKEA’s marketing team to incorporate our improved laundry basket design to their catalogue. Doing laundry is an unavoidable chore in every household, thus ergonomic laundry basket designs are of great importance.

The low height of the typical laundry basket forces users to bend repeatedly when using the basket. Furthermore due to the lack of wheels, lifting of the basket is required for movement. On top of that, research has been done to verify the inconvenience of handling a heavy laundry basket at home. The elderly living alone in Singapore are a group that are greatly affected by the design of the current laundry basket. The elderly are especially prone to muscular injuries when doing laundry due to improper lifting techniques. This report discusses the Future Basket, a laundry basket design with new features to address these issues.

The proposed modifications consist of adding a pneumatic lifting mechanism for adjustment of height and installing wheels at the bottom for maneuverability. These modifications allow users to work at a comfortable height and move the product with ease.

The team hopes that IKEA’s marketing team will implement the Future Basket into their catalogue. The features of the Future Basket include adjustable height and wheels for maneuverability which greatly reduces the risk of lower back strain.

Future Basket

1.Introduction

1.1 Background

E-Works has been tasked with improving an existing product in the market and has decided to focus on IKEA’s laundry basket catalogue designs due to its lack of ergonomics.

In the United States of America about 80 percent of adults encounter lower back strain and one of the risk factors is advancing age (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2014). Ng and Fadhilah (2018) stated that the number of elderly living alone in Singapore aged 65 and above is about “47,000” in 2016 and the numbers are estimated to increase to “83,000” by 2030. To reduce the risks of lower back strain when lifting heavy objects, a proper lifting technique is critical. According to Summit Orthopedics (2019), the proper lifting technique requires users to bend their knees and engage their leg muscles to keep their backs straight. Users with weak joints and core strength will not be able to lift a heavy load safely, putting the elderly living alone in Singapore at a much higher risk of straining their backs when lifting heavy objects.

The team’s proposed laundry basket design will be a crucial element in reducing the risks of lower back strain. Rabideau (2019) discusses the seven best laundry baskets that are currently in the market. The most common and popular baskets are made out of plastic due to it being “durable, lightweight and often cheaper than woven alternatives”. The typical laundry basket design is very similar, being handheld and having a height of around 35 cm (refer to Figure 1). This requires the user to bend down in order for him or her to pick up the basket. Through a survey, we found out that 91.4% of the respondents own a laundry basket that lacks wheels (refer to Appendix A). 71.4% of the respondents also think that a laundry basket is heavy at maximum capacity. According to RepairAid (2017), a laundry basket filled with dry clothes can weigh up to 8kg, and wet clothes may weigh up to twice as much.

Figure 1. Typical Laundry Basket Design (Rabideau, 2019)

The current laundry basket designs are not ergonomic and must be changed to reduce the risk of lower back strain. In light of this situation, an ideal home laundry basket will have a lifting mechanism for adjustment of height and also wheels for maneuverability.

1.2 Problem Statement

The current problem for a typical laundry basket is that it is low to the ground and lacks maneuverability. When doing laundry, users will have to bend down to pick up clothes and lift the full weight of the basket when moving it. The new laundry basket design should include a lifting system that allows users to adjust its height and wheels for easy maneuverability.

1.3 Purpose statement

This report proposes that IKEA's marketing team incorporates E-Works Future Basket design that has a lifting system and wheels which allows adjustment of height and ease of movement into their current catalogue.

2. Solution

2.1 Proposed design

The typical laundry basket designs have a height of around 35 cm and lack wheels.

By combining a laundry basket, base plate, pneumatic cylinder, legs and wheels. The final product will be the ideal laundry basket with adjustable height and easy maneuverability, named the Future Basket (refer to Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1. Future Basket Components

2.1.1 Base Plate

The basket will be fixed onto the top of the base plate and a gas cylinder will be attached to the bottom of the base plate (refer to Figure 2.2).

Figure 2.2. Base Plate (Amazon, 2020)

2.1.2 Pneumatic Lifting Mechanism

One key element of the Future Basket is a pneumatic lifting mechanism which allows the height to be adjustable (refer to Figure 2.3). With the pneumatic lifting mechanism installed, users will only need to tap a lever to adjust the height of the basket to a comfortable level.

Figure 2.3. Pneumatic Lifting Mechanism (Alibaba, 2020)

The pneumatic lifting cylinder is a gas cylinder that is able to extend or retract due to pneumatic principles. The main components of a gas cylinder consists of a piston, cylinder and gas seals (refer to Figure 2.4).

Figure 2.4. Gas Cylinder (Stabilusindustryline, 2020)

Pneumatic cylinders can also be referred to as a gas spring which is a cylinder filled with air and enclosed with a piston within (refer to Figure 2.5). A lever controls the locking of the piston. When the lever is activated, pushing the piston will cause the air to be compressed, raising the internal pressure within the enclosed cylinder. When the lever is activated again and there is no force acting on the piston, the internal pressure within the cylinder will push the piston outwards of the cylinder. This movement of the piston allows the basket to adjust its height according to the user’s actions.

Figure 2.5 : Gas Springs (ExplainThatStuff, 2019)

2.1.3 Legs

The bottom of the gas cylinder will be connected to the top of the legs and the wheels will be attached at each end (refer to Figure 2.6). Furthermore, the design of the legs allows equal distribution of loads.

Figure 2.6. Legs (Soshellmarket, 2020)

2.1.4 Wheels

The second proposed improvement to the laundry basket is to install wheels at each end of the legs via screws. The wheel has a swivel caster which ensures rotation of 360 degrees while under load. Each wheel has an allowable load of 40kgf, and combined they have a total allowable load of 200kgf (refer to Figure 2.7). The braking mechanism can also be found on each wheel which restricts movement and stops the product from moving freely. This will keep the load evenly distributed between the wheels preventing the load from tipping over. With the wheels mounted, users would be able to move the laundry basket from point to point with ease.

Wheel Diameter: 40mm

Mass: 60g

Type: Screw-in type

Wheel width: 41.5mm

Allowable load: 40kgf

Figure 2.7. Double Wheel Caster (Monotaro, 2014)

2.2 The Future Basket

The Future Basket includes all previously mentioned components along with a good quality laundry basket attached on top of the base plate (refer to Figure 2.8). Users will be able to adjust the height of the laundry basket to their comfort level and also use minimal effort to move the laundry basket (refer to Figure 2.9).

Figure 2.8. Future Basket Assembled and Exploded view

Figure 2.9. Future Basket Retracted and Extended view

3. Benefits

The Future Basket will greatly decrease the risk of injuries while doing laundry with its ergonomic features. The pneumatic lifting mechanism allows users to adjust the basket's height and roller wheels will provide ease of movement when doing laundry. The benefits of the Future Basket will differ for different stakeholders.

3.1 For the Public

While coming up with the Future Basket, the team realised that the benefits are not only limited to the elderly living alone in Singapore but also to anyone who has lower back issues.

3.2 For IKEA

The majority of current laundry basket designs are very similar. Should IKEA adopt the Future Basket into their catalogue, it will bring about a change to how laundry baskets are designed.

3.3 Ergonomic Design

Typical laundry baskets were designed mainly for the use of doing laundry. The Future Basket’s design is unique in that it was designed to ensure the user’s health and comfort. The ergonomics of the Future Basket is much more suitable for daily use.

4. Evaluation

The features of the Future Basket bring about many benefits due to its adjustable height and easy maneuverability. However, there are two potential challenges due to the design.

The team also has a future improvement planned.

4.1 Increased Cost

The increased cost is one challenge the team faced as the components of the Future Basket design increases the price of the product. The Future Basket comprises components that can be commonly found on a computer chair, and the price of a typical computer chair is around $34 (Lazada, 2020). Adding on a good quality basket from IKEA which is around $10 (Ikea, 2020), the total estimated price of the Future Basket will be $35.50. There is a slight difference in price between the Future Basket and laundry baskets in IKEA's catalogue. However, the benefit of the future basket is more substantial as compared to those in IKEA’s catalogue.

4.2 Steps at Home

Another challenge would be to maneuver the Future Basket when there are steps at home. Older houses have steps separating the kitchen and living area, these steps might be of different height depending on the house. The plan to overcome this challenge is to create an adjustable ramp which includes a mechanism to adjust the height for the different height/ steps in each household.

4.3 Future Improvement

A possible improvement to the Future basket would be to change the method of attaching the laundry basket. Instead of fixing the basket on the base plate, it will be fixed differently so that the basket will be able to swing. By implementing a swivel method of attachment, users will be able to swing the laundry basket about its swivel axis, therefore reducing the effort needed for users to unload the laundry into dryers or washing machines.

5. Methodology

Both Primary and Secondary research sources were used to reference information related to our report for its completion.

5.1 Primary Research

The team measured the weight of the typical laundry basket at maximum capacity. Primary research was done on the price of the laundry basket, and the price of the computer chair which gave us an estimate of how much the new laundry basket design will cost. A survey (refer to Appendix A) was also conducted to find out more about what people think of their laundry baskets at home.

5.2 Secondary Research

To come out with possible modifications to improve the existing product, the team did research on the targeted audience and weaknesses of the product. Secondary resources were used to provide evidence for our statements, such as information regarding existing laundry baskets, problems with the existing designs and features in other products that can help solve these issues. References to these sites also provided us with ideas to add to the design proposal.

6. Concluding Statement

As the team reviewed the laundry basket, it became increasingly clear that the current design of a typical laundry basket increases the likelihood of users straining their lower back. The features of the Future Basket include an adjustable basket height which prevents users from bending over to pick up clothes from the laundry basket. With the addition of wheels, users will no longer have to carry the heavy laundry basket. Therefore the Future Basket will greatly reduce the risk of lower back strain when doing laundry and will bring about a new age of better ergonomically designed laundry baskets.

7. References

Allison, B. (2014). Older adults may struggle with Excess possessions. Retrieved and adapted from https://www.reuters .com/article/us-adults-possessions/older-adults-may-struggle-with-excess-possessions-idUSBREA2520F20140306

Alibaba. (2020). Replacement piston for office chair. Retrieved and adapted from

https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/replacement-piston-for-office-chair.html

Chang, L. (2010). How to Wreck Your Back. Retrieved and adapted from

https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/features/how-to-wreck-your-back#2

Douglasequipment. (n.d). What is the difference between Casters and wheels. Retrieved and adapted from

https://www.douglasequipment.com/casters-1/difference-casters-wheels/

Ikea. (2020). TORKIS. Retrieved and adapted from

https://www.ikea.com/sg/en/p/torkis-flexi-laundry-basket-in-outdoor-blue-30339226/

Lazada. (2020). Computer chair. Retrieved and adapted from

https://www.lazada.sg/products/office-chair-i350708811-s814280034.html?spm=a2o42.searchlist.list.113.782c7e7fs1pQYW&search=1