Modular Animal Cage Base With Sealed Bayonet Joints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional pet cages have limited flexibility in dimensions and formats, leading to leakage of liquids and potential accidental opening, with insufficient flexural-torsional stiffness and stability.

Innovation Solution

A modular base and bottom for animal cages featuring constraining elements that ensure a seal against liquid leakage, provide high dimensional stability, and allow easy assembly and disassembly for transport, comprising bayonet-type couplings and sealing elements to prevent fluid escape.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the bottom consists of two reciprocally connectable elements to increase dimensional flexibility, then the cage can be adjusted to different sizes, but liquids pass through the junction areas and pour onto the floor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedimensional flexibilityVSAvoidliquid containment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base is divided into multiple modular elements that can be reciprocally connected to adjust the cage dimensions while maintaining proper liquid containment at each junction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Sealing elements are introduced as intermediary components at the junction areas between base elements to prevent liquid leakage while allowing the modular connection to function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the bottom consists of two reciprocally connectable elements, then the cage dimensions can be adjusted, but the flexural-torsional stiffness is reduced leading to accidental opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedimensional flexibilityVSAvoidflexural-torsional stiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of compromising stiffness for modularity, the invention inverts the approach by designing constraint elements that actively enhance stiffness while preserving the modular connection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The base elements combine different structural features (rigid base portions with integrated constraint elements) to achieve both flexibility and high flexural-torsional stiffness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If constraining elements are added to ensure sealing and stability, then liquid containment and dimensional stability improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid containmentVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The constraint elements are merged with the base elements themselves rather than being separate components, thereby ensuring sealing and stability without proportionally increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20260068845A1Modular base for an animal cage, modular bottom for an animal cage and animal cage

Publication Date: 2026.03.12 FERPLAST SRL

AI summary

A modular base for an animal cage comprising at least a first base module, at least a second base module and constraining elements configured to stably constrain the first base module and the second base module. In particular, the constraining elements extend along a direction that is transverse, preferably perpendicular, to a main lying plane of the modular base so as to generate a geometric interference to a reciprocal movement between the first base module and the second base module along a direction parallel to the main lying plane. The modular base further comprises sealing elements that are active or activatable on the constraining elements to prevent a leakage of fluid from the modular base.