Foldable Pet Carrier with Rotatable Base for Airline Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet carriers are inflexible, difficult to store, and uncomfortable for pets during transport, especially when traveling by air, as they are not foldable and often require an uncomfortable angled orientation when moved.
Innovation Solution
A portable pet carrier with a flat, rotatable base and telescoping handle that allows for horizontal movement, folding for storage, and fits under an airplane seat, featuring heavy-duty wheels and hook-and-loop fasteners for secure attachment to the base.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the carrier is made of rigid material to retain the pet securely, then the pet's safety is improved, but the carrier cannot be folded for storage and is difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into two functional components: a rigid pet carrier portion that provides secure containment, and a separate flexible flat base that provides mobility and foldability. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its properties independently while working together as a complete system.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid carrier and flexible base are combined through removable attachment mechanisms (straps with hook-and-loop fasteners), creating a unified system that integrates the security benefits of rigid construction with the storage advantages of foldable design.
2Ease of operation
If the carrier is equipped with wheels for easy transport, then mobility is improved, but the carrier becomes too large to fit under airplane seats
Solution Approach 1:
The base is designed with a dynamic configuration that allows it to be flat and compact for storage under airplane seats, yet functional and stable when deployed for transport. The flexible material enables the base to adapt between these two states.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is constructed from flexible material that can be folded flat to a thin profile for storage, yet provides a stable platform when deployed. This flexible construction allows the base to achieve both compact storage and functional transport capabilities.
3Strength
If the handle is rigid to provide structural support, then the carrier's strength is improved, but the pet becomes uncomfortable when rolled at an angle
Solution Approach 1:
The handle system is segmented into a rigid handle portion for structural strength and a flexible base portion for comfort. The rigid handle provides the necessary structural support, while the flexible base absorbs shocks and accommodates angular movements to maintain pet comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is made of flexible material that can bend and absorb shocks during transport, reducing the transmission of harsh forces to the pet. This flexibility compensates for the rigidity of the handle, creating a more comfortable transport experience.
4Reliability
If the carrier is made non-foldable to maintain structural integrity, then the pet's safety is improved, but storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier system is segmented into a rigid non-foldable carrier portion that maintains structural integrity for pet safety, and a separate flexible base that can be folded for compact storage. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between structural integrity and storage efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid carrier and flexible base are merged into a complete system where the rigid portion provides structural integrity and the flexible base provides foldability. Together they achieve both structural reliability and space-efficient storage.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable pet carrier which can be folded flat for storage when not in use and which can be moved in a horizontal direction with the pet carrier removably attached to a rollable platform having a unique carrying handle rotatable to be at an angle to the pet carrier to permit the pet carrier to be transported from one horizontal location to another with the pet carrier remaining in a horizontal orientation to facilitate the pet's comfort during transportation. The pet carrier is also small enough and flexible enough to be retained under a passenger seat of an airplane.