Animal Transport Crate With Tethered Flexible Inner Lining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing animal transport crates either cause injury to animals due to their rigid structure during collisions or rupture, leading to further harm as the animal is thrown about the vehicle.

Innovation Solution

An animal transport crate apparatus featuring a flexible inner lining within a rigid outer crate, anchored to the vehicle using tethers that constrict the lining to contain the animal during crashes, while allowing the outer crate to rupture and reduce impact severity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid outer crate structure is used to contain and transport animals, then the crate provides structural support and containment, but the rigid structure causes injury to the animal during collisions or ruptures leading to further harm

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidinjury to animal

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The crate is divided into two functional segments: a rigid outer crate providing structural support and containment, and a flexible inner lining providing cushioning and injury protection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible inner lining is nested within the rigid outer crate, creating a layered protective system. The inner lining is positioned to directly contact and protect the animal, while the outer crate provides the primary containment structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the outer crate is made rigid to maintain containment during transport, then the crate maintains its shape and containment, but the rigid structure cannot deform to reduce impact forces during collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainment integrityVSAvoidimpact severity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible inner lining serves as a pre-positioned cushioning layer between the animal and the rigid outer crate structure. During normal transport, it maintains containment integrity, but during impact, it deforms to absorb and dissipate impact forces before they reach the animal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a purely rigid structure to a composite structure with different mechanical properties. The inner lining material is selected to have viscoelastic properties that allow it to change its response characteristics - remaining relatively stable during normal transport but deforming significantly during impact events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If tethers are used to anchor the crate to the vehicle to prevent throwing during collisions, then the crate remains restrained relative to the vehicle, but the tethers may constrict the flexible envelope and injure the animal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestraint effectivenessVSAvoidconstriction injury

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible inner lining acts as an intermediary element between the tethering system and the animal. The tethers are attached to the outer crate structure, and the inner lining provides a compliant interface that allows the tethers to function for restraint while preventing direct transmission of constriction forces to the animal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The inner lining is constructed as a flexible shell or film structure that can deform and conform during tethering operations. This flexibility ensures that when tethers are pulled tight during transport, the force is distributed through the flexible material rather than creating concentrated constriction points that could injure the animal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution minimizes injury to the animal and other occupants by containing the animal within a flexible envelope, reducing the severity of impacts and maintaining ease of portability.

Implementation Method 1

an inner lining defining a flexible envelope arranged to move with the animal during deceleration of the vehicle in response to a crash

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlexibility: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

at least one vehicle connecting tether arranged to be pulled outwardly relative to the outer crate in response to deceleration of the vehicle in a crash so as to constrict the flexible envelope about the animal contained within the outer crate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTension: Tension

Data Source

PatentUS12075752B2Crate apparatus for transporting animals in vehicles

Publication Date: 2024.09.03 TEMPLETON GORDON DANIEL OKE

AI summary

An animal transport crate apparatus has an outer crate including rigid panels forming an outer boundary of an animal enclosure and an inner lining defining a flexible envelope arranged to receive the animal therein within the outer crate. Vehicle connecting tethers are arranged to extend through the outer crate for connection between the inner lining and frame anchors of the vehicle. The tethered inner lining allows the animal to be captured by the flexible envelope to minimize injury to the animal, and other occupants of the vehicle, regardless of the condition of the outer crate following a crash of the vehicle. The surrounding outer crate of rigid panels maintains ease of portability of the crate.