Adjustable Roof Tile Obstruction with Sliding Clip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for preventing animal entry through openings defined by curved roof tiles are limited by installation challenges, such as interference from gutters and limited adjustability, which can hinder effective obstruction.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a bendable leg with graduations and a clip that can be slid along the leg for precise positioning on the roof tile, combined with bendable fingers and a recess for accommodating varying tile profiles, allows for flexible installation and obstruction of animal entry points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a plate is placed in an opening and fastened to a fascia of the roof, then animal entry is prevented, but installation is interfered with by gutters and is not always possible
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the obstruction function from a fixed plate and relocates it to a movable clip that can be positioned anywhere along the bendable leg, allowing installation around obstacles like gutters
Solution Approach 2:
The obstruction system becomes dynamic through the bendable leg and slidable clip, allowing the obstruction plate to be repositioned along the leg to accommodate varying installation conditions such as gutter positions
2Ease of operation
If a hooking tab is used to attach the obstruction plate, then the plate can be positioned, but attaching the tab to the plate is time consuming and adjustment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The clip and bendable leg are merged into a single adjustable assembly, eliminating the separate hooking tab attachment step and allowing continuous positioning along the leg
Solution Approach 2:
The static hooking tab is replaced with a dynamic slidable clip on a bendable leg, enabling continuous adjustment along the length of the leg rather than fixed positioning
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed-size obstruction plates are used, then installation is simple, but various distances between tile edge and fascia require different obstruction sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed-size plate is replaced with an adjustable system where the obstruction plate can be repositioned along the bendable leg to accommodate various distances between tile edge and fascia
Solution Approach 2:
A single obstruction assembly with a bendable leg and slidable clip serves multiple functions and distances, replacing the need for multiple fixed-size plates of different dimensions
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 2B
AI summary
An obstruction for preventing entry of animals in an opening defined by a curved roof tile is disclosed. The obstruction has an obstruction plate for at least partially obstructing the opening; a bendable leg extending from a top of the obstruction plate, the bendable leg being integral with the obstruction plate; and a clip defining an aperture. The bendable leg passes through the aperture. The clip is selectively slidable along the bendable leg. The clip is configured for clipping onto the curved roof tile.