Animal Enclosure Latch with Downward-Sloping Receptacle

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing animal enclosure latch systems pose hazards to both animals and human caretakers, with potential for harm through snagging or trapping of animal collars, clothing, and body parts, and lack internal and external mechanisms for easy latching and unlatching.

Innovation Solution

An animal enclosure latching device featuring an internal latch receptacle with a downward-sloping top portion to prevent snagging, along with an external latch receptacle and a locking mechanism that includes a pivotally attached external latch lock for secure engagement, allowing for easy operation from inside the enclosure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional latch receptacle with a horizontal or upward-sloping top surface is used, then the latch provides secure engagement, but it creates a hazard by snagging animal collars, clothing, and body parts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelatch engagement securityVSAvoidsnagging of animal collars and body parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional latch receptacle design by changing the top surface orientation from horizontal or upward-sloping to downward-sloping. This inversion eliminates the hazard of snagging animal collars and body parts while maintaining secure latch engagement, as the downward slope prevents objects from catching on the receptacle edge.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameter of the latch receptacle by modifying the angle and direction of the top surface. Specifically, the top surface is designed with a downward slope rather than being horizontal or upward-sloping, which fundamentally alters the interaction between the latch and potential snag objects, eliminating the harmful effect while preserving the locking function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If an internal latch mechanism is provided for easy operation from inside the enclosure, then caretaker convenience is improved, but the complexity of the latching system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelatching convenience for caretakersVSAvoidlatching system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The latch mechanism is designed to provide multiple functions through a single integrated structure. The same latch assembly serves both as an internal mechanism for easy operation from inside the enclosure and as an external engagement point, eliminating the need for separate internal and external latching mechanisms and thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8104432B2Animal enclosure latch

Publication Date: 2012.01.31 MIDMARK CORP

AI summary

Devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods related to animal enclosure latches. Specifically, the disclosed devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods relate to animal enclosure latches having an internal latch receptacle and an external latch receptacle, where the internal latch receptacle has a top downward-sloping portion to prevent animal collars and the like from becoming hooked, snagged and/or caught on the internal latch receptacle.