Halo-Shaped Dog Collar for Unrestricted Head Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective collars, such as Elizabethan cones, are uncomfortable and restrictive for animals, causing physical limitations and irritations, and are cumbersome to use, making it difficult for pets to eat, drink, and navigate safely, while also causing anxiety for pet owners.
Innovation Solution
A protective dog collar assembly featuring a halo-shaped upper stabilization element and a lower support structure with a compressible blocking element, designed to encircle the neck, allowing for comfortable wear and easy fitting, while restricting unwanted head movement and rotation, and including a harness system for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional Elizabethan cone is used to protect the animal's body, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the animal's comfort and mobility are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device is divided into two separate components: an upper stabilization element that encircles the upper neck and a lower support structure that encircles the lower neck. These segments can be independently positioned and adjusted to provide protection while allowing greater animal mobility and comfort compared to a single rigid cone structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates dynamic elements including a compressible blocking element that can be compressed by the animal's head movement, and adjustable harness systems that allow the structure to adapt to the animal's movements. This dynamic design maintains protection effectiveness while improving comfort and mobility.
2Reliability
If a conventional Elizabethan cone is used to restrict head movement, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the animal's ability to eat, drink, and navigate is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking element is positioned locally at the front of the device where it can restrict downward head movement to prevent licking or biting protected areas, while leaving the sides and top open. This localized blocking approach maintains protection effectiveness while preserving the animal's ability to eat, drink, and navigate comfortably.
3Reliability
If a conventional Elizabethan cone is used to protect the animal, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of fitting are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into modular components (upper stabilization element, lower support structure, blocking element, and harness system) that can be separately manufactured, stored, and assembled. This segmentation reduces overall device complexity and makes fitting easier compared to a single complex cone structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower support structure is designed to fit through the upper stabilization element, creating a nested configuration when assembled. This nesting approach compactly organizes the device components and simplifies both storage and the fitting process.
4Reliability
If a conventional Elizabethan cone is used to protect the animal, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the animal's vision and hearing are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the protective structure into upper and lower elements with open sides, the design preserves the animal's peripheral vision and hearing capabilities while still providing effective protection against licking and biting of protected areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Protection is provided locally at critical areas through the positioning of the upper and lower stabilization elements and the blocking element, rather than using a complete enclosing cone. This localized approach maintains the animal's sensory capabilities while providing necessary protection.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is an animal head protection device, or a protective dog collar assembly including an upper stabilization element and a lower support structure. The upper stabilization element is a hexagonally-shaped halo designed for encircling a neck of a dog. The lower support structure is a smaller hexagonally-shaped halo and includes a blocking element to restrict downward movement of a head of the dog.