Collapsible Wire Crate with Sliding Door and Divider
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional animal cages are limited by hinged doors that can damage objects, lack size adjustability, and are not suitable for housing multiple animals separately, and often have restricted volumes.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible wire crate with sliding doors and a divider panel, allowing for easy access, size adjustment, and separation of animals, featuring a latch system to prevent quick closure and facilitate partial opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinged door is used in conventional cages, then the door can be opened and closed, but it can scratch or damage walls or furniture when swung open or closed too quickly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of hinging the door to swing outward, the patent inverts the mechanism by having the door slide horizontally within the plane of the panel. The door is attached to tracks that allow it to move laterally, eliminating the swinging arc that causes damage to surrounding objects while maintaining full opening functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a hinged door is used in conventional cages, then the door can be opened and closed, but it cannot be partially opened
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding door mechanism is designed to be dynamically positionable along the tracks, allowing the door to be stopped at any point between fully closed and fully open positions. This dynamic positioning capability enables partial opening to control animal movement while maintaining the simplicity of operation.
3Volume of moving object
If a large conventional cage is used for a larger animal, then it can accommodate the larger animal, but it is not suitable for a smaller animal
Solution Approach 1:
The cage is segmented into modular panels that can be reconfigured. The side panels are detachable and can be removed or repositioned to reduce the overall volume of the cage. This segmentation allows the same cage structure to accommodate different animal sizes by adjusting the effective interior space.
4Volume of moving object
If a large conventional cage is used, then it has larger capacity, but it is not possible to change or reduce the size to meet the needs of a smaller animal
Solution Approach 1:
The cage structure incorporates dynamic, reconfigurable elements including detachable side panels and adjustable dividers that can be easily added or removed. This dynamic design enables straightforward size adjustment to match the needs of different animals without requiring complex tools or assembly procedures.
5Adaptability or versatility
If conventional cages are used, then they can house animals, but they are not designed to separate animals from one another
Solution Approach 1:
The cage includes removable divider panels that can be inserted to create separate compartments within the same structure. These dividers are designed to fit into the modular panel system, allowing single or multiple animals to be separated into individual sections while maintaining the overall integrity and simplicity of the cage structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a wire crate for housing an animal. The wire crate includes a top panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and a pair of side panels oppositely disposed from one another. The crate also includes a front opening defined in the front panel. The front opening is configured to provide access to the interior of the crate. The crate further includes a pair of tracks coupled to each side of the front opening and a door slidably coupled to the pair of tracks. The door slides along the pair of tracks between an open position and a closed position.