Bendable Pet Waste Scooper with Corrugated Handle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pet owners face difficulties in collecting and disposing of pet waste without bending or direct contact, particularly in public areas, and existing 'pooper scoopers' are cumbersome and require additional tools, posing challenges for sanitation and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A selectively bendable, hand-operated animal waste scooper with a flexible corrugated extension and trigger mechanism, allowing for angular adjustment of jaws to collect waste without direct hand contact, integrated with a retractable leash for a single, compact device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a rigid, long handle is used for waste collection, then the user can maintain distance from waste, but the device becomes cumbersome and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is divided into multiple articulated segments that can bend relative to each other, allowing the handle to navigate around obstacles and reach waste in confined spaces while maintaining overall length for safety distance
Solution Approach 2:
The handle transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic articulated structure that can change its configuration, bending at joints to adapt to different spatial constraints while preserving the extended reach capability
2Ease of operation
If a flexible, bendable handle is used, then the device can be maneuvered easily and stored compactly, but the structural integrity and stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The handle incorporates flexible corrugated tubing that provides controlled flexibility for bending and compact storage while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to support the jaw mechanism and transmit actuation forces
Solution Approach 2:
The articulated segments are connected through joints that provide controlled movement while maintaining structural coherence, allowing flexibility without compromising the overall strength of the device
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate tools are used for leash and waste collection, then each function can be optimized, but the overall device complexity and number of items to carry increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leash and waste collection tools are merged into a single integrated device, with the leash attached to the handle and the jaw mechanism at the distal end, eliminating the need to carry separate tools while maintaining both functions
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to perform multiple functions: the handle serves as both a structural component for waste collection and an attachment point for the leash, while the jaw mechanism provides both waste grasping and can serve as a attachment point for waste bags
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
Enables sanitary and convenient collection and disposal of pet waste without bending or direct contact, providing a lightweight, compact tool for pet owners that combines waste collection and leash functions, reducing the need for multiple devices.
Implementation Method 1
a hollow, corrugated member that is bendable
Implementation Method 2
a flexible corrugated extension
Data Source
AI summary
A selectively bendable remote access gripping tool, includes a jaw portion having a pair of jaws or nets movable relative to each other between clamped and opened positions thereof, a handle portion spaced apart from the jaw portion by a bendable central portion that has a hollow, corrugated member that is bendable, and a cord extending through the hollow bendable member that connects the jaw portion and the handle portion.