Foot Operated Safety Gate with Weighted Actuator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foot-operated safety gates risk being unintentionally opened by pets, and current solutions either compromise ease of use or increase difficulty in unlatching the gate.
Innovation Solution
A foot-operated safety gate design that incorporates a weighted foot actuator and bias springs to prevent accidental opening by pets, while allowing for easy operation with either foot or hand, using a dual actuator system with mechanical stops and hinged couplings to ensure secure latching and easy access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a foot operated actuator is used to open the gate, then hands-free operation is enabled, but the gate may be opened unintentionally by a pet
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator incorporates a weight that changes the force threshold required to activate the gate. The weight is positioned such that normal foot pressure during operation can overcome it, but the lighter force exerted by a pet cannot, thus differentiating between intended and unintended activation
Solution Approach 2:
A weight is integrated into the actuator mechanism to counterbalance the activation force. This counterweight ensures that only sufficient force (from a human foot) can overcome it to open the gate, while smaller forces (from pets) are insufficient, preventing accidental opening
2Reliability
If a weight is added to the foot actuator to prevent pet activation, then reliability improves, but the effort required to operate the gate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator mechanism uses springs to provide dynamic assistance during operation. When force is applied to overcome the weight, the springs engage to amplify the motion and reduce the sustained effort needed, making the gate easy to open despite the added weight
Solution Approach 2:
The springs are pre-loaded to store energy that assists during gate activation. This preliminary energy storage means that once the weight is overcome, the stored spring energy helps complete the unlatching action with minimal additional effort from the user
3Reliability
If a dual actuator system with springs is used, then secure latching is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The foot actuator and hand actuator share common mechanical elements including the door, frame, and latching mechanism. This merging of functions allows both actuators to control the same door through a unified mechanism, reducing overall complexity compared to having completely separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator system is designed so that both foot and hand actuators perform the same fundamental function of latching and unlatching the door. The springs and mechanical linkages serve multiple purposes: providing bias force, assisting motion, and enabling both types of operation through a single integrated mechanism
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 effectively reduces the risk of accidental gate opening by pets while maintaining ease of use, allowing hands-free operation and secure latching/unlatching mechanisms for convenient passage.
Implementation Method 1
a bias spring to return the foot actuator to its initial position
Implementation Method 2
A foot operated safety gate design that incorporates a weighted foot actuator
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A pet gate and method of operating thereof. The gate including a frame including first and second vertical side members; a door pivotally mounted to the second vertical side member. The door includes a pole extending between upper and a lower door crossbars, wherein the door pivots between an open position and a closed position. A foot actuator is mounted to the door and is vertically slidable between a raised position and a lowered position. A first channel in the foot actuator aligns with the pole and receives a drive that passes through the pole. The drive is raise-able by the foot actuator. A retractable bar is slidably provided in the upper door crossbar. The drive engages the retractable bar when the drive is raised. An upper retracting pin extends from the retractable bar and is receivable in a upper catch provided in the first vertical member.