Tower Tumbler
A One-of-a-kind water bottle that represents an iconic architectural piece of the Austin Skyline
A Product that Embodies The University of Texas
The Significance of the UT Tower goes beyond its architectural design. It represents the university as a whole, and stands as a symbol for our campus community.
Consumer Base
Fans, Students, and Alumni of The University of Texas at Austin.
Key Features
Three Components:
Designed around a repurposed glass jar, Tower Tumbler transforms a piece of discarded glassware into a practical and durable beverage capsule.
Flip Out Straw:
To provide a sipping function, the water bottle features a flip-out straw that tucks neatly within the structure of the clock tower.
Non-threaded Closure Mechanism:
Tower Tumbler utilizes a simple 40º rotation to open and close, allowing for a quick and ergonomic interaction.
Ideation
Benefits of Glass as a Material:
Glass is free from harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates, which are often found in plastics.
Glass is non-reactive, which means it won’t leach chemicals into the water. This keeps the taste clean and untainted.
Glass is infinitely recyclable and can be reused many times without degrading, making it an environmentally friendly option compared to plastic.
The Downsides:
Glass is inherently Fragile. In order to transform a glass jar into a functional everyday container, my design would need to enhance its durability to protect it from the inevitable accidents of everyday life.
I started sketching a variety of ways that I imagined a UT Tower Water bottle might look, and I brainstormed specific versions in which it could accommodate the geometry of the mason jar. In adition, this phase was used to develop a locking method that would allow for the capsule to opened and closed, while still maintaining a flush exterior.
Prototyping
In this stage, I got to see what worked and what didn’t. It was clear that some locking methods worked better than others.
The Closure Mechanism I chose to employ is the similar to that of commercial espresso machines. The simple, yet effective locking method used to attach/detach the coffee portafilter from the grouphead requires only a 40º rotation to quickly lock and unlock. This effortless interaction inspired me to use the same method on my water bottle.
I used a 0.2 mm tolerance to ensure a secure fit between all interacting components while allowing the cap to open and close with minimal effort. To create accurate orthographic sketches for the 3D model, I first took precise measurements of the 22 oz mason jar I was referencing.
Refined Design
After going through many phases of prototyping and early testing, I landed on the polished design for fabrication. In this phase, I added an O-ring harness which would make the capsule water tight, as well as a flip-out straw to allow for a sipping interaction.
Fabricated Model
3D Printed, PLA
Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle, Supporting UT!
The Tower Tumbler makes staying hydrated fun, inspiring users to drink more water while fostering school spirit throughout their daily routines. Designed with UT Austin’s active outdoor lifestyle in mind, this distinctive water bottle emphasizes the University’s commitment to sustainability by being crafted from a repurposed glass jar.
All components are easily detachable, allowing for convenience when cleaning. The silicone straw slips directly onto the nozzle, making it easy to replace if needed, or remove if the user prefers drinking directly from the open mouth glass.
Simplistic Assembly
This project helped me to understand the tedious process required to develop and create a functional product. While the idea of a water bottle seemed so simple in my mind, it quickly grew into something that would test my design skills and force me to develop innovative ways to solve a problem.
Some of my technical skills that I developed were:
Taking detailed measurements
making accurate orthographic sketches (Within 0.2mm precision)
Adjusting and perfecting tolerances on a design with multiple components
Using Fusion 360, Rhino, Keyshot, and Photoshop for design/rendering.
Lessons Learned
