Adjustable Pet Collar with Ball-and-Socket Segments and Magnetic Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet collars lack a combination of attractiveness, sturdiness, convenience, and safety features, making them inadequate for modern pet owners.
Innovation Solution
A pet collar design featuring a plurality of connecting rods with ball-and-socket connections, allowing for customizable length, and incorporating a collar connector with a slidable magnet for locking, along with a center section housing an NFC tag for pet safety and identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional fixed-length collar design is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the collar cannot be adjusted to fit different pet sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is divided into multiple socket segments (at least three) that can be independently adjusted. Each socket segment can be positioned at different locations along the collar, allowing the overall length to be customized by arranging the segments at different spacings. This segmentation enables size adjustment without requiring a completely different collar for each pet size.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar incorporates dynamic adjustment capability through the ball-and-socket connections between connecting rods and socket segments. These connections allow the collar to be flexibly configured and reconfigured to different lengths and shapes, transforming a static fixed-length design into a dynamic adjustable structure that adapts to various pet neck circumferences.
2Reliability
If a simple collar connector is used, then the manufacturing cost is low, but the collar may not close securely
Solution Approach 1:
The collar connector replaces traditional mechanical locking mechanisms (such as clips, buckles, or latches) with a magnetic field-based closing system. Magnets embedded in the collar segments attract each other to hold the collar closed, eliminating the need for complex mechanical fasteners while providing secure closure through magnetic attraction force.
3Loss of information
If no identification feature is added to the collar, then the collar design remains simple, but the pet cannot be easily identified if lost
Solution Approach 1:
The collar integrates multiple functions into a single device: it provides the basic collar function for pet wear, incorporates adjustment capability for different sizes, includes a secure magnetic closing mechanism, and embeds an NFC tag for identification. This multi-functionality allows the collar to serve as both a protective accessory and an identification system without requiring separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The NFC tag acts as an intermediary element that bridges the physical collar and digital identification systems. When a scanner detects the NFC tag, it retrieves identification information and can contact the pet owner, serving as a mediator that enables pet recovery without requiring direct human intervention or complex identification mechanisms.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the collar uses rigid connections between segments, then the structure is strong, but the collar cannot adapt to different shapes and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The collar employs dynamic ball-and-socket connections instead of rigid fixed joints. Each connecting rod connects to socket segments through spherical joints that allow rotation and angular adjustment, enabling the collar to bend and conform to different neck shapes while maintaining structural integrity through the interlocking socket-rod connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball-and-socket connection utilizes spherical geometry to enable multi-directional movement and angular adjustment. The spherical joints allow the collar segments to connect at various angles, creating a flexible yet strong structure that can adapt to the curved shape of a pet's neck while maintaining structural strength through the spherical interlocking mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The collar provides a sturdy, adjustable, and safe solution for pet owners, with the NFC tag enhancing pet identification and recovery in case of loss, while the slidable magnet ensures secure closure.
Implementation Method 1
the collar connector includes a slidable magnet for locking the collar connector
Implementation Method 2
A plurality of connecting rods is pivotally connected via a ball-and-socket connection to a plurality of socket segments
Implementation Method 3
Near-field communication (NFC) tags allow two devices to communicate wirelessly
Data Source
AI summary
A pet collar. A plurality of connecting rods is pivotally connected via a ball-and-socket connection to a plurality of socket segments. A center section is pivotally connected via a ball-and-socket connection to two innermost socket segments. A collar connector is pivotally connected via a ball-and-socket connection to two outermost socket segments. In a preferred embodiment the collar connector includes a slidable magnet for locking the collar connector. Also, in a preferred embodiment the center section includes a NFT tag for pet safety and identification.