Expandable Pet Pen Width Adjustment Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pet pens have fixed sizes, making it difficult to accommodate the growth of pets without occupying excessive space or requiring frequent replacements, and existing adjustable pet cages require complex operations for size changes.

Innovation Solution

A pet pen design that allows for easy and continuous width adjustment by overlapping and adjusting the length of enclosing members, with a lock mechanism and expandable/contractable pen tray, ensuring the door function is not obstructed during width changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the pet pen uses a fixed size design, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot accommodate pet growth and requires frequent replacements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of pet growthVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pet pen is divided into multiple enclosing members (first enclosing member, second enclosing member, etc.) that can be independently adjusted. Each enclosing member has a wall body with connection portions that allow relative movement, enabling the pen to be segmented into adjustable sections rather than a fixed monolithic structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The enclosing members are designed with movable connection portions that allow dynamic adjustment of the pen width. The connection portions can slide or move relative to each other along the wall bodies, transforming the static fixed structure into a dynamic adjustable one that adapts to pet growth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the pet pen allows width adjustment by overlapping enclosing members, then the pen can adapt to different sizes, but the door function may be obstructed during adjustment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewidth adjustabilityVSAvoiddoor function reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The door is extracted from the overlapping region of the enclosing members. By positioning the door in a specific location on the wall body that does not coincide with the overlap area, the door can operate independently without being blocked by the overlapping portions of adjacent enclosing members.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The overlapping portion of the enclosing members is designed with different local characteristics - the connection portions are positioned and dimensioned specifically to allow movement while the door region maintains its full functionality. This localized differentiation ensures that the overlapping mechanism does not interfere with door operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If the pet pen uses multiple enclosing members that can be adjusted, then the pen width can be changed continuously, but the operation becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous width adjustmentVSAvoidadjustment operation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple adjustment mechanisms are merged into a unified system where the connection portions of adjacent enclosing members work together seamlessly. The overlapping design allows adjacent members to be adjusted simultaneously or independently through a consistent mechanism, simplifying the overall operation compared to separate adjustment systems for each member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8141517B2Expandable pet pen

Publication Date: 2012.03.27 RICHELL CORP

AI summary

A pet pen for housing a pet is provided. The pet pen comprises a plurality of enclosing members with each enclosing member having a wall body and an opening end. The enclosing members form the pen by overlapping a portion of the wall body at two or more of the opening ends, and the pen width can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the overlapping portion. The pen width can be adjusted without removing an enclosing member.