Cage Trap Door Opening Assembly with Cable Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cage-type animal traps with locking components that prevent animals from opening the door from the inside require manual disengagement and close user proximity, posing safety risks during animal release.
Innovation Solution
A pre-tensioned door-opening assembly with a timed-release mechanism and automatic-return retracting mechanism, using a wire yoke and lock plate, allows the door to open automatically after a set time delay or remotely, enabling safe distance release of trapped animals without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking component is provided to prevent the animal from opening the door from the inside, then the trap security is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because manual disengagement requires two hands and close contact with the animal
Solution Approach 1:
A cable assembly acts as an intermediary between the user and the door mechanism. The cable can be pulled from a distance to disengage the locking component and open the door, eliminating the need for direct hand-to-door contact and two-handed operation while maintaining the security function of the locking component
Solution Approach 2:
The manual two-handed door opening mechanism is replaced with a cable-actuated system. The cable transmission mechanism converts remote pulling motion into door opening motion, substituting the direct mechanical interaction with an indirect cable-mediated mechanical system
2Ease of operation
If a secondary escape door with time release mechanism is added, then the ease of operation for animal release is improved, but the device complexity increases and the reliability deteriorates due to additional escape routes
Solution Approach 1:
The single door is given multiple functions: it serves as both the entry door and the escape door. The door can be opened manually by the user or automatically via cable activation, eliminating the need for a separate escape door while maintaining animal release capability
Solution Approach 2:
The escape door function is extracted from the trap structure and integrated into the main entry door through the cable activation mechanism. This removes the need for a physical second door while preserving the escape/release function
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 safe and efficient release of trapped animals by allowing the door to open automatically, reducing user risk and maintaining a safe distance during the release process.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded plunger positioned within the housing and biased in a retracted position by a spring
Implementation Method 2
a cable retracting mechanism mounted on the trap and operative to retract the cable after the door has been opened
Data Source
AI summary
A pre-tensioned door opening assembly and a lock plate releasing mechanism for an animal cage trap having an entry door operative with an animal access opening and a locking mechanism that is engaged upon door closure to prevent the door from being opened by a trapped animal. The pre-tensioned door opening assembly includes a plurality of cable routing elements, and an automatic-return retracting mechanism having a cable. The housing of the automatic-return retracting mechanism is mounted outside the enclosure with the cable being routed through the cable routing elements and operatively coupled with the door. The lock plate releasing mechanism is mounted on the trap roof in functional cooperation with the locking mechanism. The lock plate releasing mechanism disengages the locking mechanism to allow the pre-tensioned door opening assembly to open the entry door of the trap.