Animal-Resistant Latching System with Cam Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current latching mechanisms for containers are difficult for children, the elderly, or the handicapped to operate and require re-engagement after each use, leading to potential animal access when users forget to re-engage the latch, posing risks to both humans and animals.
Innovation Solution
An animal-resistant latching system featuring an access panel with a cam assembly and latching members that can be easily operated by humans while preventing animal access, with a cover and bracket design that inhibits animal manipulation, allowing the latching members to automatically return to the locked position when closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current latching mechanisms are used, then the container can be secured, but the latch requires significant strength or dexterity to operate, presenting difficulties for children, the elderly, or the handicapped
Solution Approach 1:
The latching system employs a spring-loaded latch member that automatically moves between latched and unlatched positions based on cam assembly rotation. The spring provides automatic return to latched position, eliminating the need for manual re-engagement and reducing operational difficulty while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between user input and the latching member. By rotating the cam, the user indirectly controls the latch position through mechanical transformation, making operation easier while maintaining reliable latching through the intermediate mechanical advantage.
2Reliability
If current latching mechanisms are used, then the container can be secured, but the user must re-engage the latch after each use, and if forgotten, the receptacle is vulnerable to animals
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded latch member automatically returns to the latched position after being opened, eliminating the need for user re-engagement. The system serves itself by automatically resetting to the secure state, reducing device complexity in terms of user interaction while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring is pre-loaded to automatically return the latch to the latched position. This preliminary action is stored energy that automatically executes the security function without requiring user intervention, preventing animal access even when users forget to re-engage the latch.
3Ease of operation
If the lever is made accessible through the opening for easy human operation, then humans can easily operate the latch, but animals may also access and manipulate the lever
Solution Approach 1:
The opening in the access panel is designed with specific dimensional characteristics that create different local qualities for human and animal interaction. The opening size, shape, and position are optimized to accommodate human hand geometry while being inaccessible to animal paws or mouths, allowing easy human operation while preventing animal manipulation of the lever.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal-resistant latching system for inhibiting animals from accessing food and food containing refuse within containers is disclosed. The device is composed of an access panel containing an opening to which is secured at least one latching members, a cam assembly, a cover, and a bracket. The latching members are positioned so as to inhibit access to the container when the member is in the latched position and allow access to the container when the member is in the unlatched position. The cam assembly communicates with the latching members so as to move the members between the latched and unlatched positions. The cover and bracket are dimensioned and positioned on the access panel in a predetermined manner so as allow human hands access to the cam assembly and unlatch the container while simultaneously inhibiting such access by animals.