Modular Animal Enclosure With Removable Breeder Box Coupling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional animal enclosures have limitations such as hinged doors that can damage objects, limited size adjustability, and lack of integration with breeder or litter box assemblies, restricting their versatility and functionality.
Innovation Solution
An animal enclosure assembly with interconnected wire members and a door assembly that can be partially opened, allowing coupling with breeder or litter box assemblies, and featuring pegs and openings for secure attachment to other enclosures, enabling adjustable size and volume configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinged door is used in conventional cages, then the door can be opened and closed, but it can scratch or damage objects such as walls or furniture
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is divided into a door panel and a separate mounting bracket that attaches to the cage frame. This segmentation allows the door to be mounted on a rigid bracket rather than directly hinged to the cage, preventing the door edge from contacting and damaging external objects while maintaining smooth operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A rigid mounting bracket serves as an intermediary between the door assembly and the cage frame. This bracket provides a stable mounting point that prevents the door from swinging too widely or contacting external objects, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of door-induced damage while preserving ease of operation.
2Volume of moving object
If a larger conventional cage is used, then it can house larger animals, but it is not suitable for smaller animals
Solution Approach 1:
The cage system is segmented into a main cage unit and separate removable breeder/litter box assemblies. These modular components can be attached or detached based on the animal's needs, allowing a large cage to be configured for small animals by removing unnecessary sections or adding enclosed breeding areas, thereby achieving adaptability across different animal sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cage configuration is made dynamic through removable and reconfigurable components. The breeder assemblies and litter boxes can be attached to create enclosed spaces for small animals or removed to open up the cage for larger animals, allowing the same base cage to adapt to different volume requirements.
3Volume of moving object
If conventional cages are coupled together, then a larger enclosure can be formed, but they lack integration with breeder or litter box assemblies
Solution Approach 1:
The breeder assemblies are designed as universal components that can be attached to any standard cage unit in the system. Each breeder assembly serves multiple functions: it provides an enclosed breeding space, can function as a litter box, and can be removed when not needed. This multi-functionality allows coupled cages to seamlessly integrate breeding capabilities without requiring different specialized enclosures.
Solution Approach 2:
The breeder assemblies are designed to nest within or attach to the external framework of the cage units. This nesting arrangement allows the breeding compartments to be integrated into the coupled cage system without permanently occupying internal space, enabling flexible configuration where breeding functions can be added or removed as needed while maintaining the integrity of the coupled enclosure structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal enclosure assembly includes a plurality of members including at least a first member, a second member, a third member, and a fourth member. The first member, second member, third member, and fourth member are at least partially formed by a plurality of interconnected first plurality and second plurality of wires. The animal enclosure assembly also includes a door assembly movably coupled to one of the plurality of members and releasably coupled to another of the plurality of members. Each of the plurality of members includes a support frame formed by a plurality of support frame members. At least one support frame member has a first end and a second end such that the first end defines an opening configured to receive an end of another enclosure assembly and the second end forms a peg.