Foldable Pet Steps With Nested Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pet step devices are either solid and non-folding, making them difficult to transport and store, or they are bulky and heavy when folded, lacking a compact and lightweight solution for assisting pets in ascending and descending elevated surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A foldable pet step apparatus with a novel configuration of upper and lower treads and supports, featuring pivotable joints and reinforcing elements, allowing for compact folding by folding the lower tread about a central joint, resulting in a lightweight and compact device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the step apparatus is designed as a solid structure, then it provides stable support for pets, but it cannot be folded for transport or storage
Solution Approach 1:
The step apparatus is divided into multiple discrete supports (first support, second support, third support) that can be individually folded about pivot joints. Each support is a separate element that can be positioned independently, allowing the structure to transition from an extended stable configuration to a compact folded configuration while maintaining structural integrity during use
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus transitions from a static solid structure to a dynamic foldable structure through the introduction of pivot joints. These joints allow the supports to rotate and fold relative to each other, enabling the device to adapt between two stable states: the extended configuration for pet use and the folded configuration for storage and transport
2Adaptability or versatility
If the step apparatus is made foldable, then it can be transported and stored more easily, but it becomes bulky and heavy when folded
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable step apparatus is designed so that the supports nest within each other when folded. The first support, second support, and third support are arranged to overlap and compact into a nested configuration, significantly reducing the overall volume and dimensions of the folded device while maintaining structural integrity, making it compact and easy to store without requiring excessive weight
3Adaptability or versatility
If the step apparatus is made foldable, then it can be stored compactly, but it becomes bulky in folded form
Solution Approach 1:
The supports are arranged to nest within each other when folded, with each support positioned to occupy the space of the previous support. This nested arrangement minimizes the overall volume of the folded apparatus, creating a compact storage form factor that is significantly smaller than a simple collapsed configuration would achieve
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism transforms the apparatus from a two-dimensional extended surface into a three-dimensional compact nested form. By utilizing vertical stacking and radial nesting arrangements, the device reduces its footprint across multiple dimensions when folded, achieving compact storage without compromising the surface area available when extended
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable step apparatus having an upper tread with a first end and a second end, a first support pivotably joined to the first end at a first joint and a second support pivotably joined to the second end at a second joint. A lower tread has a third end and a fourth end, the third end pivotably joined to the second support at a third joint and a third support pivotably joined to the fourth end at a fourth joint. The lower tread has a first portion and a second portion pivotably joined at a fifth joint between the third end and the fourth end of the lower tread.