Animal Crate Latch Assembly and Wire Frame Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional animal crates face issues with secure latching mechanisms, animal safety, and accessibility, particularly in exercise pens where animals can escape or injure themselves due to weak wire gauges and large door sizes.
Innovation Solution
An animal crate assembly featuring a door frame and door made of interconnected horizontal and vertical wires, with a latch assembly that prevents sliding and enhances security, and shelf assemblies securely coupled to the crate using shelf hooks to prevent tilting and provide additional safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a large door is used to provide access to the interior of the exercise pen, then accessibility is improved, but security and containment are worsened because the door cannot be securely latched and animals can escape
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into multiple components: a door, a door frame, and a separate latch assembly. This segmentation allows the door to be large for accessibility while the latch assembly provides secure containment independently. The latch assembly can be positioned at optimal locations regardless of door size.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the door and the door frame. It provides the securing function that directly connects the door to the frame, enabling secure latching without requiring the door itself to have built-in latching features.
2Weight of moving object
If a weak wire gauge is used to manufacture the cage, then manufacturing cost and weight are reduced, but safety is worsened because animals can push panels away or injure themselves
Solution Approach 1:
The wire gauge parameter is changed to a heavier, more robust specification throughout the crate assembly. This parameter change increases strength and safety, preventing animals from pushing panels away or injuring themselves, while maintaining portability through the overall design.
3Device complexity
If a simple latch mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability is worsened because the door cannot prevent sliding movement
Solution Approach 1:
The latch assembly is designed to prevent sliding movement before it can occur. The configuration of the latch wire and its engagement with the door and door frame creates preliminary resistance against sliding forces, stopping the door from sliding open even under animal pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch wire includes a curved configuration with a first portion, second portion, and transverse portion. This curvature allows the latch to engage at multiple points and resist sliding movement in different directions, providing reliable security without requiring a complex mechanical latch mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A crate assembly includes a plurality of members defining an interior of the crate assembly, where the plurality of members includes a front, a back, a top, a bottom, a first side and a second side. A frame is formed in one of the plurality of members, the frame having a plurality of interconnected horizontal and vertical wires that define a door opening. A door is pivotally coupled to the frame about a pivot wire of the frame to move between an open position and a closed position. A latch assembly is pivotally coupled to a horizontal wire of the frame. The latch assembly includes a wire having a first end, a second end and a transverse portion, the wire forming a first portion defined between the first end and the transverse portion and a second portion defined between the second end and the transverse portion.