Fiber-Optic Animal Restraint Lighting for Night Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal restraints, such as collars and leashes, lack effective illumination features that ensure visibility without disrupting night vision, are bulky, and have durability issues.
Innovation Solution
A lighting module integrated into a collar or leash with a fiber optic surrounded by flat straps, where the fiber optic is sandwiched between layers of webbing or aligned along the edges, and LEDs at both ends provide illumination without being too bright or heavy, ensuring durability and wide visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a bright illumination is used to improve animal visibility, then the animal becomes more visible, but the night vision of the dog and person is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fiber optic cables as an intermediary to transmit light from a remote LED source to the animal restraint. This allows the illumination to be delivered to the animal without the LED itself being positioned near the animal's eyes, thereby improving visibility while avoiding disruption to night vision. The fiber optic acts as a mediator that separates the light source from the illumination point.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination system is segmented into separate components: the LED light source is isolated in one location, while the fiber optic cables distribute the light to multiple restraint points. This segmentation allows the light to be delivered to the animal without concentrating a bright source near the animal's face, thus improving visibility while preserving night vision.
2Illumination intensity
If the illumination area is made larger to improve visibility, then the animal becomes more visible, but the device becomes bulkier and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical illumination systems (which would require large batteries, heavy LED arrays, and bulky housings) with a fiber optic-based system. The fiber optic cables are lightweight and can be easily integrated into the restraint, providing wide illumination area without the weight and bulk associated with conventional electrical illumination systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The fiber optic cables serve as a lightweight intermediary that transmits light over long distances without requiring power sources or heavy components at the illumination points. This allows the system to achieve wide illumination coverage while maintaining minimal weight, as the only power-consuming component is the single LED source located in the restraint housing.
3Illumination intensity
If the illumination area is made larger to improve visibility, then the animal becomes more visible, but the device becomes bulkier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces bulky mechanical illumination systems with a fiber optic system that uses thin, flexible cables to deliver light. This substitution dramatically reduces the volume required for illumination, as the fiber optic cables can be routed through the restraint structure without requiring large housings or bulky components, thereby achieving wide illumination area with minimal device volume.
4Illumination intensity
If traditional illumination systems are used to provide visibility, then the animal becomes visible, but the device has more durable parts and is more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the illumination function from complex electrical systems and implements it through simple fiber optic cables. By removing the need for batteries, motors, and complex circuitry, the system achieves illumination with minimal durable parts. The fiber optic cables themselves are simple, durable components that can be easily integrated into the restraint without adding significant complexity.
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
The solution provides a lightweight, durable, and effective illumination system that enhances animal visibility without affecting night vision, using a compact design with LEDs and fiber optics enclosed in a secure module.
Implementation Method 1
a fiber optic connected to and receiving light from the lighting module
Data Source
AI summary
An animal restraint is either a leash or a collar. The animal restraint includes a lighting module and a circuit board, the circuit board enclosed in the lighting module. The animal restraint further includes a first light source connected to the circuit board, such that the first light source does not have a fixed position in relation to the circuit board, the first light source enclosed in the lighting module. The animal restraint further includes a fiber optic connected to and receiving light from the first light source, the fiber optic at least partially in the lighting module. The animal restraint further includes a first flat strap, the fiber optic surrounded by the first flat strap.