Terrarium Catch Tray With Inward-Folding Triangular Corner Flaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reptile and amphibian terrariums with pools of water are expensive and laborious to manufacture, and the removal and replacement of the soil and water layer are difficult and messy.
Innovation Solution
An interior catch tray made from a single-piece sheet blank that can be erected from an unfolded state to an assembled state, featuring a rectangular bottom wall and opposite side walls, with triangular corner panels that fold inwardly to form triangle-shaped flaps, allowing for easy assembly and secure retention within the terrarium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pools are used for water retention in terrariums, then water retention function is achieved, but manufacturing cost and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The catch tray is divided into multiple panels (first panel, second panel, third panel, fourth panel) that can be separately formed and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each panel to be manufactured independently using simple processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the complete water retention function when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple separate panels are joined together using adhesive material to form a complete catch tray structure. This merging process combines the functionality of individual panels into a unified water retention system, achieving the necessary water holding capacity while using simpler manufacturing techniques for each component.
2Reliability
If conventional pools are used for substrate and water retention, then retention function is provided, but removal and replacement becomes difficult and messy
Solution Approach 1:
The catch tray is segmented into multiple removable panels that can be easily separated from each other and from the terrarium substrate. This segmentation allows the entire substrate and water layer to be removed by simply detaching the panels, making cleaning and replacement much easier and less messy compared to conventional integrated pools.
Solution Approach 2:
The catch tray panels are designed with dynamic attachment and detachment capabilities through adhesive joints that can be easily separated. This dynamic design allows the substrate and water retention structure to be quickly assembled and disassembled, facilitating easy maintenance and replacement operations.
3Device complexity
If a single-piece sheet blank is used for catch tray, then assembly simplicity is improved, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple panels are joined together using adhesive material to create a unified catch tray structure. This merging process combines the strength of multiple components into a single functional unit, achieving both assembly simplicity (through modular construction) and structural strength (through proper joining of panels).
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive material properties are optimized to provide sufficient bonding strength between panels while allowing for easy detachment when needed. By adjusting adhesive parameters such as bond strength, curing time, and removal characteristics, the structure achieves both structural integrity during use and ease of assembly/disassembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A catch tray for a terrarium container. The tray comprises a rectangular bottom wall, first opposite rectangular side walls each separated from the bottom wall by one of first folding lines, and second opposite rectangular side walls each separated from the bottom wall by one of second folding lines. Each of the first and second side walls is oriented upwardly with respect to the bottom wall and connected to the bottom wall by the corresponding first or second folding line. Each of the first side walls is separated from adjacent one of the second side walls by two triangular corner panels connected to each other by a corner folding line and to the adjacent first and second side walls by the first or second folding lines. The triangular corner panels folded inwardly with respect to the side panels so as to define triangle shaped flaps disposed inside the tray.