Elevated Animal Bed Frame Corner Fitting Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal beds with elevated frames are difficult to assemble and disassemble for storage or cleaning, and often require multiple pieces and common configurations for corner fittings, which can lead to sagging of the fabric bedding and complexity in assembly.
Innovation Solution
An elevated animal bed with a frame comprising elongate metal tubing members and corner fittings of differing configurations, using detents and interference fits for assembly and tensioning of the fabric bedding, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and reducing the number of pieces required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If common configurations for corner fittings are used, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but the fabric bedding sags and structural reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different corner fitting configurations at different locations of the bed frame. Specifically, corner fittings at opposite corners have different orientations of their vertical support members relative to the frame members, allowing localized adjustment of fabric tension at each corner while maintaining overall structural integrity and ease of manufacture.
2Ease of operation
If the bed is designed for easy assembly and disassembly, then storage and cleaning are facilitated, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the bed frame into separate modular components including four corner fittings, four frame members, and four vertical support members that can be independently assembled and disassembled. This modular design facilitates easy assembly and disassembly for storage or cleaning while maintaining structural integrity through the interconnected geometry of the components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies asymmetry in the corner fitting design where vertical support members are positioned at asymmetric locations relative to the frame members, with different orientations at different corners. This asymmetric configuration enables easy assembly through geometric interlocking while preventing fabric sagging through optimized load distribution.
Data Source
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AI summary
An animal bed (100) includes a plurality of elongate frame members (102a-102d), a plurality of corner fittings (104a-104d) coupling the plurality of elongate frame members to form a frame, bedding (110) supported by the frame, and at least one support (106a-106d) supporting the frame above an underlying substrate. Each of at least first and second corner fittings among the plurality of corner fittings has a passage formed therethrough that receives therein a corresponding one of the elongate frame members.