Soap Dispenser

Behind the design

Peek into the KiwiCo product design studio and the design process behind the Eureka Crate Soap Dispenser.

1. Motor Ratios

   1. We tried a bunch of different motors before settling on the 220:1 motor in your crate. That ratio means the motor is set up so the starting gear (from the electric motor on top) has to turn 220 times to make the driveshaft (at the end of all the gears) turn just once. It’s a slow motor, but it’s strong — exactly what we needed for squeezing the soap through the tube.
2. Wooden Construction

   1. Like we mentioned in the Maker’s Guide, we started developing the soap dispenser in wood before switching plastic. On this early prototype, the body wasn’t the only wood part — the rotor was wood too! When we switched to plastic, we also refined the rotor’s ninja-star look to give it a cleaner visual profile.
3. Ergonomic Switch

   1. The prototype here had a pretty shallow angle on the dispenser switch, so you had to stretch your thumb a lot to use it. To help make the switch more comfortable to use, we focused in on its ergonomics, or how your body interacts with it. The redesigned switch angle matches the angle between your thumb and palm when your hand is outstretched and your thumb is relaxed.
4. Button Mashing

   1. Also, did you get a load of that bright yellow button? We tested out lots of buttons and switches before settling on the switch plate that activates your dispenser. We liked the plate better than the buttons because it didn’t get as yucky from repeated use, and it was easier to clean if it did get dirty.