RAINDRAIN

它是什么?

RainDrain is an innovative umbrella dryer that solves the hassle of wet umbrellas indoors. It efficiently dries, squeezes, and collects water using microfiber, a compression mechanism, and a catch basin; keeping floors clean and slip-free.

你的灵感

As students in UPLB, we constantly face rainy days where we’re forced to leave our wet umbrellas at building entrances. Many times, we returned to find them missing or swapped, causing frustration and inconvenience. We also noticed how wet umbrellas create puddles indoors, making floors slippery and unsafe. These recurring problems inspired us to design a practical solution that not only dries and stores umbrellas efficiently but also allows users to keep them with them safely. RainDrain was born from our own campus experiences and the need for a secure, mess-free umbrella management system.

如何运作？

Our design is a compact, mountable umbrella dryer that can be installed at entrances or kept at home and in businesses. It features three major components: a catch basin, a microfiber dryer, and a squeezing mechanism. The bottom catch basin is made of stainless steel for durability and hygiene. It’s supported by a PVC outer frame and a removable microfiber interior assembly for easy cleaning. The squeezing mechanism includes a stationary metal plate and a rod attached to a 3D-printed gear. As you rotate the rod, it spins the microfiber cloth while pressing it against the metal plate, effectively squeezing out water. The excess water flows directly into the catch basin through a built-in drainage system. This design ensures that umbrellas are quickly dried, floors stay dry, and umbrellas stay secure, perfect for rainy days in shared public or private spaces.

设计过程

The idea began during rainy days as UPLB students, when we noticed a recurring problem: wet umbrellas left at building entrances often went missing or created messy, slippery floors. We envisioned a secure, convenient umbrella dryer to solve this. Our first concept was a simple box lined with cloth, but it didn’t dry effectively and retained water. We then explored different drying materials and added microfiber for its superior absorption. To improve drying speed and efficiency, we introduced a squeezing mechanism using a stationary plate and rotatable microfiber roll, but our early versions had stability issues and leaked. We addressed this by using a 3D-printed gear to ensure smooth microfiber rotation and added a drainage system leading directly to a stainless steel catch basin. We refined the outer shell with durable yet lightweight PVC to keep it compact and mountable. After several iterations, we finalized a removable microfiber interior for easy cleaning and maintenance. We’ve tested the prototype in real conditions, like dormitories and classrooms, receiving positive feedback. Each improvement was based on usability, durability, and safety, leading us to the current reliable, efficient design.

它有什么不同？

What makes our design unique is its electricity-free, compact, and mountable form combined with a multi-functional manual drying system ideal for shared indoor spaces. Unlike typical umbrella stands or electric dryers, our device actively dries umbrellas without any power consumption. It features a three-part system: a microfiber cloth for moisture absorption, a manual squeezing mechanism to extract excess water, and a stainless steel catch basin with an integrated drainage system to manage runoff. The squeezing mechanism includes a stationary metal plate and a rotating rod connected to a 3D-printed gear, allowing users to manually wring out umbrellas efficiently. Its modular microfiber interior is removable for easy cleaning and maintenance. No other product offers the same blend of portability, sustainability, and practicality.

未来计划

Our next steps include refining the current prototype based on user feedback and exploring cost-effective materials to reduce manufacturing expenses. We plan to produce a small batch for local testing in university buildings and small businesses to assess real-world usability. From there, we aim to partner with local manufacturers and distributors to bring the product to market. Our goal is to offer a practical, sustainable umbrella drying solution for high-traffic indoor areas, starting within our community before gradually expanding to broader markets.

奖项