Foldable Pet House Frame with Rotating Connectors and Positioning Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable pet houses are unstable during use, inconvenient for cleaning, prone to cracking at folded portions, and difficult to fold due to their design, which affects their stability and durability.
Innovation Solution
A foldable pet house design featuring a frame with foldable side panels connected by rotating connectors, a positioning assembly with convex columns and grooves to maintain stability, and an additional side opening for easy cleaning, along with a four-fold hinge mechanism to facilitate folding and prevent cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the pet house is designed as foldable to facilitate transportation, then the product size is reduced, but the structure becomes unstable during use
Solution Approach 1:
The pet house is divided into multiple foldable side panels that can be independently folded. Each side panel is segmented into multiple plates connected by rotating connectors, allowing the structure to be compact for transportation while maintaining stability during use through the positioning assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning assembly is pre-configured with positioning convex columns and positioning grooves that automatically engage when the side panels are folded into place. This preliminary positioning mechanism ensures the structure is stabilized before use without requiring additional assembly steps.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple foldable components are connected using connecting or fastening elements, then the pet house can be folded for transportation, but cleaning becomes inconvenient due to complicated disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning assembly is extracted as a separate functional component from the main foldable structure. It consists of positioning convex columns on the side panels and corresponding positioning grooves on the top cover, allowing the pet house to be folded for transportation while providing simple stabilization during use without complicated fastening elements.
3Ease of manufacture
If connecting or fastening elements are used to connect foldable components, then the pet house can be assembled, but cracking occurs at folded portions due to repeated locking or unlocking
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mechanical fastening system (screws, clips, or latches) is replaced with a positioning assembly using positioning convex columns and positioning grooves. This substitution eliminates repeated locking and unlocking operations that cause cracking, while maintaining ease of assembly through simple engagement of the positioning features.
4Ease of operation
If the pet house is kept in folded state for easy transportation, then transportation is facilitated, but the pet house cannot maintain unfolded state during use
Solution Approach 1:
The pet house structure transitions from a static folded state to a dynamic unfolded state that can be maintained. The foldable side panels can be folded for compact transportation, then unfolded and stabilized by the positioning assembly during use, allowing the structure to adapt between transportation and usage modes.
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 design enhances stability and safety by preventing the pet house from folding during use, simplifies cleaning by allowing horizontal removal of waste, and prolongs the product's life by reducing stress on folded portions.
Implementation Method 1
adjacent side plates of the plurality of side plates are connected by at least one rotating connector
Implementation Method 2
A positioning assembly is provided between the top cover and the top of the frame to limit a relative movement between the frame and the top cover
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable pet house includes a frame composed of a first side panel, a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel connected end to end, a top cover connected at a top of the frame, and a bottom panel connected at a bottom of the frame. The first side panel and the third side panel are foldable and opposite to each other, and the second side panel and the fourth side panel are not foldable and opposite to each other. A positioning assembly is provided between the top cover and the top of the frame to limit a relative movement between the frame and the top cover. An opening is provided on the side panel for cleaning. A rotating connector is used for the connection of foldable side panels or other parts and components of the pet house.